Snapshot: Reviewing Mingle in Albany

Chef Un-Hui Filomeno makes kimchi with the assurance of someone who understands this ancient marvel so well that she can add her own imprint without fear of reprisal. Her new Albany restaurant, Mingle, is the kind of exotic bistro whose trendiness comes not from a marketing “concept,” but from the sophisticated, confident, borderless melding Filomeno brings to the foods she likes. …

In Filomeno’s deft hands, the mixing of food idioms feels unlabored, natural and fun. Her foods are bold, adventurous and yet comforting. The portions are ample but not grotesque, the presentations artful but not precious.

32 Responses

Cheryl got this one right! Mingle’s menu is creative but still focused and avoids the “diner menu” that tempts so many otherwise good chefs. Wine list fits so nicely with the food, that you cannot make a mistake. The wait staff is professional, discrete and knowledgeable. From nosing around I noticed a back dining room (and perhaps a deck?). This restaurant is a keeper!

Again, I read the review but focus on the reviewer.The reviewer’s style of writing stands out more than the restaurant itself. Ive been in “the biz” my whole life and love reading almost anything resaturant related. Cheryl’s writing shifts the focus of the article, the restaurant, and makes it secondary to her style of writing. Having never eaten at Chez Sophie I can only imagine that the self centered and arogance that comes thru in her writing must have played a part in her restaurant’s demise. I hope the TU pulls the plug on this reviewer soon

Read this review over three times to try to figure out what Joe Brown (#2) is talking about, and heaven knows I love to criticize as much as anyone, but I’m stymied. She says not a single word about herself here, other than to recommend reservations in the final paragraph. Moreover, she spends no time talking about her dining companions (nobody has to have a apoplectic fit about her kids joining her). Really, I was interested to see what complaints people would drum up about THIS review, and yet someone was able to…on no earthly basis whatsoever.

can we just stop with the critic bashing….please. it’s old, tired and and flat out annoying. there is absolutely nothing wrong with the writing style or choice of grammer in this review. honestly i would never have thought to try this restaurant and now i will because of this WELL written review. god help albany….NOW.

Isn’t it interesting how the “critics” of Cheryl’s style have such feeble positions but feel so STRONGLY about it? Maybe their lives are very dull and this is the most exciting thing they run into.

Josho (#4), you’re right on. I’m particularly intrigued by the fact that the people complaining about her kids show up in comments about reviews of pizza joints. Why SHOULDN’T one take one’s kids there?

But I still feel the accuracy of my earlier “natcherly iggorant” comment. One should NEVER sound educated in a review!

I wonder why she gave a positive review of the lobster mac and cheese. 4 people ate all they could and there was leftovers. Isn’t that the “grotesque” portions she so despises. I think her and her dining companions need to get a better appetite. Perhaps smoke a fatty beforehand.

I went to Mingle just a few weeks ago. The food was excellent. Everything I tried was mentioned in the review and I agree with what Cheryl reports. The service was excellent (we had Trevor as our server) and Jose is a class act. Our party got to hang out and chat with him over a round of drinks in that very nice back room. I am looking forward to returning!

What kind of review is this? I have kids; the only reviews worth reading are those where her kids experiences are mentioned. LOL.

Why all the critic bashing? For those who love to bash the writer, we can’t wait to read your own review, and see how well you do…

Personally, given the short length it’s a decent review. Somewhat vague on whether Mingle is really a ‘Korean’ restaurant, but I suppose that’s for the reader/eater to find out. Clearly a restaurant worth a try.

Cheryl’s reviews are descriptive enough of her dining experience to clearly communicate the skill, personality, and style of the restaurant’s menu, food preparation and presentation, service, and the ambiance of the setting. I also find the information about food, setting, and staff and restaurant history to be of interest to me, adding to my perspective of the Capital Region’s dining scene. Would the “Know-Nothings” be less critical if her reviews were written with her children’s crayons?

#16- The writer is a prominent force in any review , even more so than what is being reviewed. Ms. Clark’s primary responsibility is to write in such a way that the food, atmosphere, service, etc. stands out and is noticed-if her writing style and choice of words overpower what she is reviewing, than she, in my humble opinion, is “Showboating.”
I never read Cheryl’s reviews due to the fact that she seems to be so immersed in her own writing skills and prose that she ignores what she is writing about.
In any case here is my review for Mingle- a great place. Chef Filomeno has taken a great strides in keeping his menu and food fresh and vibrant and it shows on the plate. Two thumbs up!

Yes, let’s all ask Cheryl to stop using such descriptive language, and just reduce her writing to single-syllable words we can all understand, like “great,” “nice,” “yum,” “sweet,” and “bad.”

These complaints that Cheryl keeps insisting on using WORDS to describe the dishes brings to mind Isaac Asimov’s quote (typically applied to the current political climate, but just as applicable here): ““Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’”

In the end it all comes down to a matter of taste (for the writing style of the critic of course).

On the one hand you have those that argue ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it.’ And on the other you have those that argue that the garnish overpowers the dish.

I for one, side with the latter. Some have suggested that this implies the critic should restrict herself to simple words. It does not, rather, it is an encouragement for the writer (and the chef) to be more subdued with their ingredients.

Then again, I’m sure there are those that enjoy their avant-garde molecular gastronomy while reading Finnegans Wake.

This review was perfectly fine. The people who dislike her obviously don’t read reviews from any national or NYC critics, because she is downright tame in comparison to people like Robert Sietsema or Jeffrey Steingarten.

I’ve tried Mingle several times since they opened and it has consistently been very good – even great. Their beef bulgokee is delicious and satisfying, and I love both the yakimandu and Korean tacos appetizers (especially the latter).

bzhou (#22), it’s pretty clear that you see no gradations. Everything is either black or white. And I suppose everyone is either a Communist or a right-thinking (two ways) conservative.

I personally can see in-between positions in between, and I think that’s where Cheryl is. She uses language in a literate way, and she’s not way off the intellectual deep end. Those who think she is the latter are apparently from the lumpenproletariat I mentioned in an earlier post in another thread.

I’ve yet to go to Mingle, but I will based not on the current review but on the fantastic meal I enjoyed at Avenue A a few years ago. I was very disappointed at its closing and now I have a second chance.